Him

Chapter 5: Make-ups and Get-Togethers

~ Carlos ~

She hit me on my shoulder pretty hard while she stormed out the door. I'm trying my best not to cry right now. I can actually hold it in this time because I wouldn't dare ever cry in front of them. Even if they are my best friends. Claire, of course, being the exception.

Even if I did meet her after knowing them first. I walked into the room as if nothing happened. "Hey guys, what's up?"

"Uh, Evie fainted."

"Oh yeah, why?"

"Uh..." Weird. Mal never hesitates.

"Why don't we just tell him? They are both gonna find out soon enough." Evie insists. I'm really confused. "What are you gonna tell me? And who is this both you're talking about? What are they gonna find out? Are we pranking people again?"

"Jay caught you and Claire kissing, took a picture with this camera that he found, then he came here to us to show us that picture, and that's why I fainted," Evie explained. I stood there in shock. Not because of what she just said but because of what she held in her hand.

A camera. The camera. Claire's camera. I absentmindedly stepped forward to touch it. As soon as I did, ALL the memories came flooding back.

Flashback

"Can I keep this? My mommy gave it to me so it's real special." I want to let her keep it but they might find out if she did.

"No. It looks too fancy anyway. You have to have things villains would have. They would find out. I'm sorry." Why did I say sorry? Do I like her?!

Present Day

Remembering this conversation made me laugh. First time after my fight with Claire. I actually kept it for a while but about two years ago, I threw it away because it was getting too rusty. I guess we do have magic on the Isle.

"CARLOS!" I hear Mal scream at me while reminiscing.

I reply calmly, "Yeah?"

"What's so funny, why were you laughing?"

"And what did you do to Claire," Evie asks.

"Uhh, No reason and uh.." I scratched the back of my head to answer Evie's question. "So where exactly did Jay find this Camera?" They looked confused. Probably because I didn't flip out as they expected.

"In the um, trash can," Mal said hesitantly.

"Where?"

Jay asked, "Why do you need to know wh-"

"Because I do, okay? Now, where did you get the camera?"

"It was in this alley near the end of the Isle." That's only a few blocks from where I threw it away.

"Well I'd like to catch up with you guys and answer all of your questions, but I have to go find Claire." Right. Now, where would she be? Of course, the tree!

~

I saw her standing there, under the tree, looking even more alluring than ever. And how the flowers around her, their colors, illuminated her beauty even more. I could see how she liked taking pictures.

"Claire!" She didn't turn around. I walked closer. "Claire!" She still didn't turn around. I walked a proximate distance toward her and once more called her name. "Claire," I said touching her shoulder.

"Hi, Carlos," she said without turning around. "Claire, I have your camera and I--" she cut me off saying, "What does this make us now, Carlos?"

"What?"

"WHAT DOES THIS MAKE US NOW? Everything was fine, we were fine Carlos. That kiss messed up everything." I couldn't take it anymore. I dropped her camera as fast as I could while grabbing her face and looking into her beautiful hazel-green eyes. "I think, that kiss made everything better. And so will this one."

~ Claire ~

He kissed me. He really kissed me. Again! And he dropped my camera too! I want to yell at him, but he is such a good kisser! Wait! he's changing the subject, isn't he?

I push him back once I realize this. "You can't fix everything with a kiss, Carlos." As I said this I realized that maybe, just maybe, that he could. Of course he could. He is the only one that can fix everything with a kiss.

Just like a prince. My Prince. Thinking this, I smiled almost as big as the Cheshire Cat but I then realized that I was mad at him still. Hopefully, he didn't see me smile.

~ Carlos ~

"You can't fix everything with a kiss, Carlos," she said to me. I had nothing to say after that. All I could do was look at her face in sadness. Huh? Did she just smile? Well maybe I can fix everything with a kiss. "Claire,"

"Yeah C?" Good start, she's gone back to calling me C.

"Were you just smiling?"

"No, why? Now is not the time for that."

"C'mon Claire, I saw you. You can stop lying now."

"I'm not lying, Carlos. Whatever fantasy you're in, get out of it. This is the real world, not some book."

I say gentler, "Claire," she cut me off by saying that I broke her. Not what I was expecting. "I'm not even mad at you anymore," she murmurs.

"Carlos," she sounds sad. Uh oh. "I smiled because I realized that you could fix everything with a kiss. And, of course you could. You're the only one that can fix everything with a kiss. Just like a prince. My Prince." Since we were a fair distance apart, she ran the small distance and bear-hugged me.

Then, she started crying. I think it was a good kind of cry because she was hugging me really tight. "I'm so sorry Carlos," she said pulling back from our tight hug sniffling. "I guess I just felt weird that you like me and--"

"Wait, wait. You said you felt weird."

"Yeah, why?" She sniffled.

"How do you feel about it now?"

"Uhh, the same I guess. Hidden somewhere I've always liked you, Carlos. I just never showed it."

"Soo, are we like, together now?"

"Yeah." She smiles.

~~

As we're walking, he grabs my hand, I lay my head on his shoulder, and we swing our arms back and forth. No one says anything for a while until people start to stare. Mal finally says, "Are you guys together or what?" 

"Why would you think that?" Carlos asks. 

"Because you two have been holding hands ever since we started walking," Evie responds. "And because you did lay your head on his shoulder gently, not like the rough horseplay you guys do around us." 

Jay butts in saying, "Yeah, did you think we wouldn't notice or anything?" 

"Okay, okay, calm down jeez man. We're kinda, together. I say as Carlos wraps his hand around my waist and lay my head on his shoulder again. Once again, Evie faints.

Dedicated to Jasmen Johnson and DeezNuts4Life for some story ideas.

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